Of Cinnamon and Chocolate
by Meian Tsukino
Summary: "Have you ever kissed a girl?" "No" "Would you like to?" Shino refused and refused. If he only knew that the girl who mistook his bugs for ants was more perceptive and conniving than he thought, especially because he could be such a perfectionist.


Hello. I don't own Naruto.

This is a **one-shot, or maybe a two-shot**. The inspiration for this OC came from Misao (one of Sayuri's summons in Betting on a Bug). But she's not Misao. Nope. She's like a mix of the summons, yay!

BTW**, I advise you to read carefully**. _**There's some kind of surprise**_, mwahahaha. Because this must be short, I can't add as many twists and details as I do with Betting on a Bug. *groan*

Enjoy and review!

Summary:

"Have you ever kissed a girl?" "No." "Would you like to?" Shino refused and refused. If he only knew that the girl who mistook his bugs for ants was more perceptive and conniving than he thought. Especially because he could be such a perfectionist.

* * *

**Of Cinnamon and Chocolate**

_a.k.a. Of Ants and Kikaichu_

_a.k.a. Why Shino shouldn't be a perfectionist_

.

Aburame Shino walked calmly through a pacific, quiet town. Fortunately, the weather provided an excellent excuse for his clothes. However, he wished that the Hokage had sent someone else in his place. He'd been very busy lately attending clan meetings and he needed a break.

He still remembered the day when he'd been assigned that mission.

Kiba had even complained to the Hokage that Shino was going to turn twenty while traveling.

.

_Tsunade raised a curious eyebrow at him and Shino shook his head._

"_We are shinobi," he said succinctly, "We shouldn't care if we miss that kind of celebrations."_

"_You want to go away so that I can't drown you in cake like last year, huh? Just because we ambushed you…" said Kiba, shaking his head, "You still hold that grudge…"_

_Shino glared him._

_Tsunade sighed. "I'd send you, Kiba, but Shino is more suited for the mission and you still haven't recovered from your wounds."_

"_Why don't you send Shikamaru or Chouji or someone else?" asked Kiba._

"_Shino is going and that's final," said Tsunade firmly._

.

Aburame Shino shook his head as if shaking away those memories. The Hokage had insisted too much in sending him for unknown reasons and if he was frank, that mission was slightly weird. He finally arrived to a small shop where he was supposed to meet his contact. Apparently, she had started living in that town for a few months and she worked there.

He was supposed to arrive to that coffee shop between ten and eleven o'clock, get hot chocolate and a couple of other things. His contact would appear and she'd tell him the password.

When he entered the shop, he was glad to see that it was practically deserted. The only person present was a young woman who had her head on her counter. However, she suddenly raised her head. Teal eyes observed him for a second before they closed.

Shino raised an eyebrow. A few bugs left his body and they began searching the shop, looking for unwanted public.

"Welcome, sir," said the woman, her head still on the counter, "What would you like to have?"

"A cup of hot chocolate and a couple of cinnamon rolls," said Shino, "I'd like you to pour dark chocolate chips with cherry jam over the cinnamon rolls."

The woman nodded absentmindedly. "We don't sell green-colored cakes, sir."

"What about leaves?"

"Those you've found right now."

Shino nodded. So she was his contact. He briefly wondered who'd chosen those lines, they were ridiculous.

"Wait a second," she said and she rose from the counter.

Shino looked at her with interest. She played well her part as a civilian as he watched her take out a couple of cups just to fill them with a dark, steaming liquid that he was sure wasn't coffee.

"Please, take a seat, sir," she told him.

Shino raised an eyebrow but he complied. He watched her take out a couple of midnight blue dishes and then, some cinnamon rolls. Surely she wouldn't pour them dark chocolate chips with cherry jam, would she? Shaking his head mentally, he kept quiet.

She approached him with a tray in hand. She put a cup of chocolate in front of him and then, the cinnamon rolls. Shino raised an eyebrow but said nothing, he merely watched her take a seat in front of him before taking a sip of her own hot chocolate.

"My name's Kasumi," she said suddenly before tucking a cinnamon strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm Shino," said the Aburame, watching her carefully.

"Nice to meet you," said Kasumi, "Don't you like hot chocolate?"

"No."

"Most people would just say 'yes', you know."

"I'm not most people."

"I see," said Kasumi with a nod, "Would you like something else? I can have your drink, I love hot chocolate."

"Jasmine tea."

"I'll get it right away."

And she rose from her seat, just like that. Shino raised an eyebrow. He briefly wondered if she'd grown accustomed to her job as a waitress, she hadn't even removed her beige apron.

"So, how should I call you?" she asked as she took out a cup, "Shino-san? Shino-kun? Shino?"

"Shino."

"Are you going to eat the cinnamon rolls or should I get you something else?"

"The cinnamon rolls are fine."

Kasumi was back soon with his jasmine tea.

"So," she began, her voice low, "The incidents that were reported have nothing to do with Kumo."

Shino took a sip of his tea. "Are you sure?"

Kasumi looked offended. "I've been here for five months."

"So?"

"What kind of kunoichi do you think I am?" whispered Kasumi, "I've done my research." She nodded. "I'd bet that the ones that are behind everything are missing nin."

"Missing nin?"

"I'd say that some of them are from Kiri."

"And you concluded that because…?"

"I've got a good memory," said Kasumi haughtily, "I was gossiping with a shopkeeper the other day, her son saw something." She took a bite of her cinnamon roll and she sighed contentedly. "Delicious."

"Should I remind you the purpose of this meeting?"

"Sheesh, you're no fun," said Kasumi, "Anyway, Kyo-kun took a shortcut the other day in his way back to the village and he caught sight of a man threatening an old couple with a kunai after robbing them. He described me the way he moved, the way he acted. He also described me his appearance and I'm sure that he saw a missing nin from Kiri."

Shino nodded.

"Of course he tried to tell me the story in the way that he'd appear as a hero and he even asked me out but…" Kasumi shrugged, she took a sip of her drink. "I confirmed the story with the old couple, I even gave them a small cake."

"Is that all you've got?"

"Of course not, Shino," said Kasumi and she took another bit of her cinnamon roll, "I went to investigate the place and I was attacked."

"Did you catch one of them?"

"You're not going to ask if I got hurt?" sighed Kasumi, "You are soooo rude."

"I don't see a single scar and none of your movements are weird," replied Shino, "Besides, I am sure that you would've whined about that sooner."

"I caught a man and I was interrogating him when reinforcements arrived," said Kasumi, annoyed, "They used fog to disappear, you can't say that that's not a signature jutsu of Kiri. Besides, one of them also looked like a missing nin from that place but slightly older." She sighed. "Anyway, the man I got told me something about going after a monk."

Shino frowned.

"I'm not sure but I think that he might be referring to a monk that has ties to the daimyo," said Kasumi, shrugging, "Anyway, they escaped and I think they're far from here." She sighed, annoyed at herself. "I guess I failed."

Silence.

"What? No cutting remarks?" said Kasumi.

"Apparently, you've got more results than other people that have investigated," said Shino.

"Well, I've written everything he told me and all my suspicions," said Kasumi, ignoring his comment, "Follow me. I've got more things that I found in my room."

"You live here?"

"Naoko-san told me that I could stay here, she lives with her daughter a few blocks from here," said Kasumi, "Can you pull down the curtains while I lock the door and clean the table?"

Shino nodded and complied.

He followed her to her room, it was located in the upper floor and he supposed that it was cozy despite having only the necessary things to live.

"Why don't you remove your coat? I'll give you a blanket or something," said Kasumi.

Shino watched her open a closet and he removed his coat. Kasumi handed him a thick blanket but she was frowning.

And then, it happened.

She poked him.

"Get rid of that thing."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because it looks heavy and I'm sure that it hinders your movements."

"I can move well with my jacket," replied Shino, annoyed, "And don't poke me ever again. Why? Because you won't like my answer."

"Really?"

She poked him again and much harder.

A small cloud of kikaichu covered her hand.

Kasumi blinked. "Ants?"

"They're kikaichu, they consume chakra," said Shino, annoyed. What kind of person couldn't differentiate ants from other insects?

"Do they bite?"

Shino blinked behind his glasses.

"No."

"Then, it's okay, I guess," said Kasumi and she shook her arm in an effort to get rid of them, "Ara? They won't leave me." She pouted.

Shino sighed inwardly. She was supposed to be demanding him to remove them, she was supposed to be glancing them with disgust, she was supposed to be acting differently.

"So you hide them in your jacket," commented Kasumi and before Shino knew what was happening, she tore his collar.

He slapped her hand away.

"They live in my body," Shino told her, "I'm an Aburame."

Kasumi tilted her head, glancing him oddly. "Aburame Shino." She nodded slowly, as if remembering something. "Maybe you're so rude because those ants annoy you."

"They aren't ants."

"Fine," said Kasumi and she yawned, "The point is that you must be annoying because your bugs annoy you. They probably give you headaches."

"That's the way I am," replied Shino, "The kikaichu don't annoy me."

Kasumi nodded. "They seem friendly enough." She shook her arm again, she pouted once more when they remained there. "Your ants won't leave. Do you think they like me?"

"They're called kikaichu."

"They look like ants to me."

"They resemble beetles, woman."

"My name's Kasumi, I told you earlier." Kasumi shook her head. "You've got a bad memory, Shino."

Shino sighed inwardly. She was irritating, not to mention ignorant and blind.

"Would you like to take a bath?"

Shino raised an eyebrow.

"You could take one while I begin taking out the things that I found," said Kasumi, "I'll also add a couple of things to my report and I'll even lend you clothes. I think I have a black, baggy shirt that might fit you." She nodded. "Now, remove your ants from my arm. I don't want them to spy on me while I write to Tsunade-sama."

Shino nodded and complied.

.

.

.

"Ara, ara," said Kasumi, pouting, "I thought you'd be in a better mood after taking a nice bath and wearing that." She nodded at the baggy shirt that she'd lent him. "Much more comfortable than the jacket you had…" She sighed. "Anyway, you'll give all this to the Hokage."

Shino had criticized some of the things she got from the missing nin and she wasn't very happy about that.

"I shouldn't have shown them to you," said Kasumi, "Anyway, you'll store them in a scroll so you don't have to be so whiny about them."

"I am not whiny."

"You're also very picky," said Kasumi, dismissing his comment, "What kind of person doesn't like hot chocolate?" She shook her head. "Your girlfriend must be a saint."

"I don't have one."

Kasumi raised an eyebrow but she immediately shook her head. "No wonder." She nodded. "Actually, have you ever had a girlfriend?"

Shino glared her.

"I guess that's a 'no'," said Kasumi, "You must've rejected every single girl that confessed her love to you." She narrowed her eyes at him in a comic way. "I can already picture you telling them that they were too annoying or ugly or boring or incompetent or-"

"You're wrong," interrupted Shino.

"Ara? What do you mean?"

"I've never rejected a girl."

"No?" Kasumi raised an eyebrow. "But you're not ugly." She nodded. "Actually, you're good-looking and you seem to be the mysterious type."

Shino raised an eyebrow. "Are you actually implying that I'm attractive?"

Kasumi nodded and suddenly, a smirk appeared in her face. Shino didn't like that crafty smile at all.

"Have you ever kissed a girl?"

"No."

"Would you like to?"

This threw Shino off balance. He stared and stared. Surely she wasn't suggesting to…

"I could teach you," Kasumi told him with a mischievous grin, "What do you say?"

Stare.

"No."

"Why not?" asked Kasumi, "Could it be that you're one of those romantic men that one rarely comes across?"

"I'm not a hopeless romantic," said Shino firmly, "But I won't let you kiss me to settle down your hormones."

"W-What?" Kasumi lunged at him, "Why you little-"

"Be quiet," said Shino as he pushed her away, "Why? Because your scandalous behavior could attract unwanted attention."

Kasumi's eye twitched but she complied. It wouldn't do if people thought that the shop was being robbed or something like that.

"You belong to a clan so I guess that you'll end up in an arranged marriage," said Kasumi, "What if you disappoint your future wife in your honeymoon?"

Shino frowned, mostly because she was right. In fact, his father had been talking with a couple of clans lately and he was sure that his future wife would have experience with kisses and those frivolities. Maybe she would even demand him to take her out on a date.

A date with flowers, candle lit dinner and…a make-out session.

Shino shook his head inwardly. Despite all that, he wouldn't let Kasumi kiss him.

"Ara, ara," said Kasumi, "What do you say? Can I teach you?"

"Why would you want to do that?" Shino shook his head. "Why should I let you kiss me?"

"I've never kissed a guy who's never kissed someone else," said Kasumi, "Let's say I want to be your first."

Blank stare.

"No."

Kasumi observed him, studying him carefully. For the first time since he'd arrived, she looked serious.

"Could it be that there's someone you want to kiss? Some secret love?"

Shino raised an eyebrow. "No."

"How old are you?"

"Nine-" Shino stopped in mid sentence and he glanced a clock on the wall. "Twenty."

Kasumi followed his glance. "Could it be that you've just turned twenty?"

Shino nodded.

"Why don't you let me teach you as my birthday gift?"

Shino contemplated her proposition.

Kasumi spoke again. "Or could it be that you find me ugly?"

Shino raised amused eyebrows.

She poked him twice.

She was instantly covered with kikaichu.

"Ants again?"

Shino repressed the desire to slap the palm of his hand over his face. That woman was really absentminded, he'd told her repeatedly that his bugs were called kikaichu. Unless…

"Are you making fun of me?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Kasumi and she shook herself. "Ara, they won't leave me."

Shino sighed.

"But you didn't answer," said Kasumi, "Do you find me ugly?"

"What would happen if my answer were affirmative?"

"I would hit you repeatedly until I you found me beautiful."

"You're attractive," said Shino automatically.

Kasumi's brow twitched. "Do you mean it?"

"Yes."

Shino wasn't lying, she was somewhat attractive. Long cinnamon hair, teal eyes and pretty features.

Kasumi nodded. "By the way, could you remove your ants?"

"They're called kikaichu," said Shino, irritated. However, he complied.

"I like ants," muttered Kasumi as she watched the kikaichu return to Shino's body.

"Why?"

"Because of the fable of the ant and the grasshopper."

Shino raised a curious eyebrow. "I've never heard about it."

"No?" said Kasumi, "It's a short story about an ant and a grasshopper."

"I had deduced that much from the title."

"You're a jerk," muttered Kasumi and she smirked, "How about I kiss you as many times as I want in exchange of telling you the story?"

Shino tilted his head. He was curious about the fable that involved two bugs, very curious. Besides, she had a point about the issue of kissing.

"Very well."

Kasumi smiled and she leaned forwards, blushing slightly.

"The story first."

Kasumi smirked. "Are you scared?"

"Of course not."

"I want at least one kiss before I tell you the story."

Glare.

"One kiss."

His glasses flashed dangerously.

"My brother can do that too so that won't work with me."

For a moment, Shino wondered if she would make him develop a tic for he was almost sure that his brow was twitching. He finally nodded.

"So, do you want me to start it and follow my lead or-"

"I'll kiss you," said Shino and he leaned forward.

Kasumi pushed him away, blushing slightly. "It's a kiss, if you try to grope me-"

"I'm not a pervert."

Kasumi glanced him warily. Shino rolled his eyes, that woman was so maddening. One moment she's practically doing everything in her power to get a kiss and the next one, she's accusing him of being a pervert.

Finally, she closed her eyes.

Shino leaned forward.

Kasumi opened one eye suddenly. "You can put your arms around my shoulders, by the way." And she closed her eye again.

Shino sighed. Maddening, indeed.

He leaned forward again and he finally brushed his lips against hers.

She tasted like cinnamon and chocolate.

He closed his eyes and continued kissing her. He had to give it to her, she had soft lips.

It took him five seconds to notice that she was kissing him back gently, softly, _sweetly_.

And yet, he almost pulled away when she placed a hand behind his shoulder, pushing him towards her.

Finally, he ended the kiss.

Kissing wasn't too bad, he decided… and thankfully, he wasn't blushing or something.

He opened his eyes and found her glancing him.

"That was nice," she admitted, pink dusting her cheeks. "I'll give you 9 out of 10."

Shino raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Why?"

"It was a sweet kiss," said Kasumi, still blushing, "But you should've held me or sought more contact. Besides, you should feel more and think less."

Shino nodded.

Kasumi grinned. "I want another one."

"The story first."

"Aww…"

And so, she told him the fable about the ant and the grasshopper.

"You're a terrible storyteller."

Kasumi rolled her eyes. "I want another kiss." Shino stared at her. "Our deal was that I could get as many kisses as I wanted."

Stare.

"That won't work either."

And so, she captured his lips after embracing him abruptly. She almost chuckled when she felt him stiffen before kissing her tentatively. _'You're very sincere and somewhat honorable, despite being a shinobi…'_ She caressed his face and he tensed slightly. _'Very sincere…'_ She began playing with his hair as she deepened the kiss. She grinned mentally as he slowly began melting into the kiss.

They ended the kiss after a while.

"9.5"

Shino glared her. "Why?"

"You stiffen too easily," said Kasumi, "Relax and melt into the kiss…you should touch more…maybe you should put your arms around my waist." She shrugged. "Or maybe it is because you're not attracted to me."

"Perhaps," admitted Shino.

"Though I have to admit that you're a fast learner," said Kasumi, blushing slightly, "You only lack a bit of passion, I guess."

Shino stared and stared. "Let me try again."

Kasumi tilted her head. "Ara? Looks like you're a perfectionist."

Glare.

"Well, you do have nice lips after all…" Kasumi nodded. "Yes, sure…"

And so, he embraced her before kissing her. Softly first and then, he began melting into the kiss, letting his hands slip slowly until they reached her waist.

After the kiss ended, he glanced Kasumi expectantly.

"9.75"

Glare.

"You got 9.75," said Kasumi, smirking, "Deal with it."

"Why?"

"Because you…"

It was going to be a long night, Kasumi decided.

.

.

* * *

.

Tsunade nodded after reading Shino's report quickly. She released the contents of a scroll and she raised an eyebrow when she found two letters but only one was addressed to her. She opened one and began reading it, stealing glances at the other one every now and then.

For some strange reason, Shino didn't like the growing smirk that her face showed.

"Shizune!"

"Hai!"

"Take care of these letters and make sure to follow the instructions of the one with beige envelope immediately."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

Shino raised an eyebrow as he watched Shizune leave the room with haste. He wondered if Kasumi had hidden facts about her mission from him. They'd had breakfast and she even made him have a piece of cake to celebrate his birthday, she should've told him that she had urgent news for the Hokage.

"Excellent job, Shino," said Tsunade suddenly with a smirk that he didn't like at all, "You're going home, I suppose."

"Yes."

"Please remind your mother about our poker night," said the Hokage, "Tsume's going to lend us her house."

"Of course."

"Very well," said Tsunade, "You're dismissed."

* * *

.

"Hot chocolate?" repeated Kiba after they paid for their drinks, "I thought you didn't like sweets."

Hinata nodded. "We were sure that you'd get tea."

"There's nothing wrong with it," replied Shino a bit too defensively and he took a sip of his drink. He had to admit that he thought it'd taste better, though. He briefly wondered if Kasumi was simply better at preparing it or if it'd been her lips that-

"Are you okay, Shino?"

Shino turned to Kiba as he shook away his thoughts. "Yes." And he took another sip of his hot chocolate. It lacked something but he didn't know what.

"For a moment, you looked flushed," commented the Inuzuka and Akamaru barked.

Kiba didn't understand why Shino glared him. When he turned to Hinata, she only shrugged.

* * *

.

Somewhere else, a woman with chestnut hair and hazel eyes was chuckling as she finished reading a letter. When her husband, a man with unruly, bushy hair approached her, she smiled at him. He adjusted his glasses as he began reading the paper that had had his wife so entertained.

Dark eyebrows almost disappeared as he found what had captured his wife's attention. He couldn't help but feel proud of their only son and he had no option but to admit that his son got his 'perfectionism' from him. _'Interesting…'_

"You're aware that Shino won't be very pleased about your matchmaking, are you?" he asked, "Though I wonder how you convinced Tsunade-sama to help you."

"That one was easy, Shibi," said Shino's mother, "She already had that information, Jiraiya-sama sent it to her before she even assigned Shino that mission. The truth is that she's lost too many bets with me and in exchange…"

Shibi nodded. Besides, he suspected that the Hokage had had fun helping his wife.

"I have to admit that that girl found Shino's weakness very quickly," he admitted.

"Just what I'd expect of my future daughter-in-law," said the matriarch of the Aburame, "I liked her, she's very amusing and curious and she can be conniving." She tilted her head. "The first time I saw her, she was reading that story to a child. She also told me why she likes ants and I took my time knowing her." She sighed. "I didn't know how she'd act with Shino because I'm not an Aburame by birth so…"

"So you merely told her that you wanted her to meet your son," said Shibi, nodding, "However, just because she thinks that-" he reread the letter quickly, "-_Shino's an_ _amazing kisser_, it doesn't mean that he's attracted to her or that he really liked her. He only kept kissing her because he wanted to get a perfect score, he's always been very competitive."

"I know," replied Shino's mother, "But as soon as he finds out that she tricked him, he'll want to see her again…I know my boy…"

.

* * *

.

Shino had no idea why his mother was hugging him. He'd already seen her when he returned from his mission.

"Mother?"

"You've grown so much," she told him fondly, "You were a baby yesterday and now you're kissing girls."

Shino paled.

"Don't deny it, Kasumi-chan told me," said his mother.

Yes, he'd definitely developed a tic. His eye had twitched for a second.

"Kasumi?"

"She thinks that you're an amazing kisser," intervened Shibi and he adjusted his glasses, "Oh, and that you're a perfectionist." He took out a letter and read it again. "Nine in your first try, not bad." He nodded. "She says that she wouldn't give you the 10 so that you'd keep kissing her."

Shino's hands twitched. _'That conniving, manipulative woman…'_

"Your mother met her during her last mission, the one where a town was devastated by a flood," explained Shibi, "It seems that Kasumi usually spends her time out of Konoha so you didn't know her before all this. Your mother told her that you were a handsome man who lacked experience with women and that you'd probably end up in an arranged marriage because of the customs of our clan. She also asked her if she'd agree to go out on a date with you, a blind date."

Shino turned to her mother.

"Kasumi-chan agreed but when you finally returned from your mission in Swamp country, she was already at that town so I asked Tsunade-sama to help me."

Twitch.

"By the way, Kasumi-chan didn't know about your kikaichu, I hid that fact from her and she didn't know that you'd go to see her."

"Your mother spoke with Tsunade-sama while you were away and it seems that Kasumi will return soon," commented Shibi, "Kasumi also says in her letter that she sometimes takes missions as an undercover agent and that it was very refreshing to meet someone as frank and sincere as you."

"Though I don't understand the part of the ants in her letter," admitted his mother, "Did you summon them to impress her or something? She says that you had lots of them with you."

Shino's hands twitched. So she was returning soon, wasn't she?

"That woman is dead."

And he would get some ants to eat her corpse, he promised.

She liked ants so much? He'd make sure that she would get them.

.

.

.

**Review!**

Kasumi means Mist, a friend of mine told me.

The fable of the ant and the grasshopper is property of Aesop. I thought about it after I wrote the part of the. "Ants?"

I wonder if I should make this a two-shot. That's why I ended the story this way.

Also, I wanted to write something more and less realistic. That's why I haven't written romance in BoaB yet, I like to develop things. Shino has never struck me as the kind of guy who'd fall in love at first sight, that's why I avoid writing him with fluff.

Anyway, this was fun. And yes, he might be somewhat OOC but I wanted a good excuse to write a one-shot with romance and the perfectionism thing just arrived to my head. I have to admit that I hesitated about choosing HUMOR as the second genre because I might find some parts funny but you might not…Oh, well…

See you!


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